


Pastry Dates

by ZabbyPerno



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien didn't go to public school AU, F/M, Minor Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Original Character makes an appearance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-11 14:00:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10466664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZabbyPerno/pseuds/ZabbyPerno
Summary: Pastry Dates and Other FirstsAdrien Agreste might be a world renown supermodel working for his father's company, but deep down he is as awkward as a turtle. Or rather, a cat who fell off a ledge by accident.Therefore introducing himself to the cute girl who works at the patisserie is turning out to be a lot harder than he originally anticipated.





	1. Failure to Get a Number Results in Pastries

**Author's Note:**

> This was beta'd by the wonderful, amazing, [megupic](http://megupic.tumblr.com/) on tumblr. We were matched up through the [miraculous beta](https://miraculousbeta.tumblr.com/), also on tumblr.
> 
> To be clear, this is an AU where Adrien never attended public school. Therefore, Marinette never had the obsessive crush on Adrien, but she still wanted to keep things professional between her and Chat.

Adrien couldn't help but be drawn in by the pretty girl behind the counter. There was just something about her…

This was his second time visiting this bakery just to see her again, though he would never admit it. He waited impatiently, fiddling with his phone, hoping that someone had texted him to make him seem less creepy. Of course, no one had. Being the last one in line after the morning rush was more awkward than he thought it would be.

“Hi, welcome to Tom and Sabine’s! What can I get for you?”

Adrien nearly dropped his phone. “Oh, uh, sorry. Um… a cheese danish, please, and um…” He stared blankly at the pastries in the display case. “Sorry, I don’t know that much about pastries… so I have no idea what's good or not.”

The young woman, who was about his age, standing behind the register raised an eyebrow in half disbelief. “Well…” she mused. “A cheese danish is about the most basic pastry you can get.” The young woman wasn’t wearing a nametag so he had no idea as to her name. Her hair was held back in two pigtails on either side of her head, held up with pink ribbons. The ribbons offset the blue notes to her hair beautifully. Adrien half wondered what she would look like in professional lighting.

He grinned. “That sounds good, I really like cheese.” Lie. He was just going to give it to Plagg.

She smiled back. “Do you have a preference for sweet or savory things?”

“Sweet things. I snuck frosting and candy and stuff from the kitchen when I was growing up.”

She laughed softly. Adrien was struck by just how familiar her laugh sounded. He couldn't place from where, for the life of him. “I had a friend tell me the exact same thing the other night.” She picked up a pastry he didn't recognize and slipped it into the bag. “Chocolatine. No Parisian should go without trying it at least once.” She picked up another one. “Profiterole,” she explained. “It's just choux pastry with cream in the middle.” She put it in it’s own separate bag. “Madeleines. One of my favorites. It's a bit heavier than other pastries but I love it. It has a bit of a lemon flavor too. Some patissieres make them with almonds, we just happen not to, so no need to worry.” She handed them over. “These are just a few basic pastries.”

Adrien pulled out his wallet and, with a minor bit of difficulty due to his card sticking, pulled out his card. He slid it through the machine, and followed the instructions on the screen. “Thank you for helping.”

She nodded. “I’m glad to! Enjoy!” She stayed behind the register, counting all the things that would need to be replaced.

It was frustrating and a bit disheartening to realize that he didn't have a reason to stick around, so he turned and awkwardly slunk out of the building.  As he walked into the nearby park, he pulled out his phone to text his best friend. He had met Nino through the tumblr he had secretly made for himself a few years back. Through Nino, he had met Alya. And to continue the networking trend, she had tried hard over the years about introducing Adrien to a friend of hers, but nothing ever came from it.

**From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** **To: Brother From Another Mother  
** (10:32) Okay. Serious question time.

**From: Brother From Another Mother  
** **To: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:33) Am I going to regret this?

Adrien lowered himself onto a nearby bench, letting out a quiet sigh of contentment. It wasn't very often that he had the chance to just relax like this. He checked his phone, realizing Nino had texted back.

**From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** **To: Brother From Another Mother  
** (10:35) …………maybe.

**From: Brother From Another Mother  
** **To: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:35) Shoot.

**From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** **To: Brother From Another Mother  
** (10:36) I went back to that bakery I told you about. The cute girl was working there again.

It was almost a minor miracle: for the first time in just over three years, Adrien Agreste had noticed someone other than Ladybug. Yes, he was in love with the heroine. However, after three years of partnership and no real clue that she returned his feelings, he was starting to give up. Ladybug was his first love, and he would always be a bit in love with her, but he needed to move on.

There was a pause as the text bubble started and stopped multiple times. Adrien opened the bag and pulled out the cheese danish, waving it in front of the opening of his jacket where Plagg resided. “Here. It's all I could get on such short notice.”

Plagg all but fell out of his hiding place. “Finally!” the kwami huffed, surveying the snack with a sour expression “You drag me all over the city and all you get me is a danish? What do I look like to you? Tikki?”

Before Adrien could ask who or what Tikki was, his phone buzzed in his hand. He picked it up to view his messages while Plagg attacked the pastry, zeroing in on the cheese inside.

**From: Brother From Another Mother  
****To: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:39) Woah, wait. Are you telling me that my main man finally has a crush??? Besides Ladybug??? Oh my god is this what shock feels like???

**From: Litter-ally a Cat  
****To: Brother From Another Mother  
** (10:39)  
  
(10:40) But no seriously. Is it creepy to ask her for her number?

**From: Brother From Another Mother  
****To: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:40) As long as you aren't gross about it, I see no reason why not.

Adrien let out a high pitched whine that was more suited to his Chat Noir persona than his civilian self and let his head fall forward onto his chest. Plagg flattened his ears against the noise but continued to eat.

**From: Litter-ally a Cat  
****To: Brother From Another Mother  
** (10:40) Dude, it's gross for a guy to hit on a girl while they're working! Why wouldn't this be?

**From: Brother From Another Mother  
****To: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:41) Have you met yourself? You are the literal embodiment of sunshine, and you don't have a gross bone in your body. You'd probably get all flustered and tongue tied.  
(10:41) Just ask her for her number!

The danish finished, Plagg flew up to Adrien’s eye level. “Hey, kid. You're making noises that make my ears hurt. Cut it out.”

He listed his gaze to look at the kwami. “Do you think I should ask that girl for her number?” He wasn't expecting much in the way of advice from the God of Chaos and Destruction.

Plagg hissed slightly. “That's not my area of expertise. Stick to cheese. It's much less demanding.”

Adrien rolled his eyes and looked back at his phone. He needed a second opinion on this. Alya would be perfect.

He hoped.

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:45) Alya. You're a girl.

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)  
** (10:46) Oh well spotted.

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:46) *winces*  
(10:46) I didn't mean it like that.  
(10:46) I just wanted to know if you'd clear something up for me.  
(10:46) Sorry, Al…

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Brother From Another Mother  
** (10:46) You done fucked up now, boi.

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:46)  


**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)  
** (10:47) I forgive you.  
(10:47) What’s up?

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:48) So there's this girl who works at a local bakery. Is it creepy if I ask her for her number? I think so, Nino doesn't.

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)  
** (10:50) Oh my god, Nino! Our precious sunshine child is growing up! Soon he’ll be going on dates and he won't need his parents anymore! But I'm so proud of him! He wants to get a girl’s number!

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Brother From Another Mother  
** (10:50) I know, right??? I couldn't be more proud of him.

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:50) I'm still here…

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)  
** (10:51) Back to the question. It depends on how you ask. Like, I have a friend who works in her parents’ shop. Just don't ask her to come out to your car so you can show her a good time.  
(10:51) It’s happened.

Adrien stared at his phone in horror and disgust. Plagg had moved so he could see his chosen’s phone. He hissed, tail thrashing against Adrien’s neck in disapproval. “Do human males actually do that? I'm a cat and I find that disgusting.”

“I'm a human male and I just threw up in my mouth a little.”

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:52) Oh god no. Never. I wouldn't. I don't want to be creepy.  
(10:52) It’s usually pretty creepy for a guy to hit on a girl while she’s working. ...right?

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Brother From Another Mother  
** (10:53) We raised you right.

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)  
** (10:53) Don't worry, sunshine, I know you aren't like that. It was just an example of what not to do.  
(10:53) It can be creepy.  
(10:54) But as long as you make it clear that you don't think she was flirting with you because she smiled at you, you should be okay.  
(10:54) LMAO I was thinking the same thing. <3

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (10:55) ...how do I do that?

**To: Squad Goals  
****From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)  
** (10:55) Oh you sweet summer child.

Adrien finished his pastries robotically while Alya texted the finer points of not being a creep when asking someone out while they were working.

He had to admit, the chocolatine was probably his favorite. But then again, he loved anything with chocolate. He stuffed Plagg in his pocket, much to the very vocal disappointment of the tiny god, who wasn’t used to Adrien manhandling him. “Time to go.” He stood, glancing around to make sure there wasn’t any press lurking nearby, before making his way out of the park.

He skimmed through his contacts until he came across the one he wanted. Gwen was a model, originally from England, who had worked in a shop while trying to jumpstart her career. Adrien had met her when she was 17 and he was 15 at a photoshoot, just before he had become Chat Noir. She wasn’t necessarily his best friend, but she was someone he could go to for advice and support. She would be perfect to ask. And she’d probably side with him.

Hopefully.

**To: Gwen  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (11:24) Hey.

**To: Litter-ally a Cat  
****From: Gwen  
** (11:25) This is the first step in horse manure!

**To: Gwen  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (11:25) ???

**To: Litter-ally a Cat  
****From: Gwen  
** (11:26) Sounds so much better in English.  
(11:26) _Hay is the first step in horse droppings!_

Adrien slowly read the English sentence. He knew English fairly well, but it’s syntax and structure was still weird. He figured it must be an idiom.

**To: Gwen  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (11:31) Weird but okay.  
(11:31) Can I ask you something?

**To: Litter-ally a Cat  
****From: Gwen  
** (11:31) Of course!

**To: Gwen  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (11:32) So there's this girl who works at a local bakery. Is it creepy if I ask her for her number? I think so, Nino doesn't.

**To: Litter-ally a Cat  
****From: Gwen  
** (11:32) No. I don't think so.

**To: Gwen  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (11:33) Ugh, you, Nino and Alya.

**To: Litter-ally a Cat  
****From: Gwen  
** (11:34) This is coming from the girl who got hit on at work by weirdos all the time. Innocently asking for a number isn't creepy. Saying something sexual is.  
(11:34) I don't think asking for a number is that bad.  
(11:34) Saying, “Hey, girl, do you want to come back to my hotel room with me to model that sexy body of yours?” is.  
(11:35) Yes that’s been said to me before.

**To: Gwen  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (11:36) Here I was, hoping you'd be in my corner.

Why should Adrien even be surprised no one agreed with him? He _did_ have the ultimate bad luck charm on him.

**To: Litter-ally a Cat  
****From: Gwen**  
(11:36) Lol nope. I don't think asking for a number is that bad.

Adrien stopped in front of his house, realizing that he had walked all the way home without noticing. He groaned. He had snuck out earlier to see the girl at the patisserie. “Hey, Plagg,” he said, stuffing his phone in his pocket.

“Noooo,” Plagg groaned, knowing what was coming.

“C’mon. I have to get back inside.”

The tiny god glowered up at him. “Fine. But you owe me an extra wheel of Camembert.”

Adrien grinned as he ducked behind a bush that he had used as cover many times before. “Plagg, claws out!” The transformation washed over him, leaving him with that strange tingling feeling he always got when he transformed. He took another glance around, making sure that no one was looking at him. He used his baton to propel himself through the air and onto the balcony above his room. Using his baton, he gently nudged the window open. Satisfied that he wasn’t going to crash into the glass and break it, Adrien dropped off the balcony, swinging his body so he had the momentum to land in his room tucking into a roll as he landed. “Plagg, claws in.

The transformation released and Plagg floated in front of him. “Cheese please.”

Adrien laughed softly as he opened the door and slipped into the hallway. He pulled his phone back out to reply to Gwen.

**To: Gwen  
****From: Litter-ally a Cat  
** (11:42) Ugh. You're the worst. I'm going to go sleep off all my problems.

After a pit stop in the kitchen to get Plagg more Camembert, Adrien slowly made his way to his room, dragging every step and collapsed onto the bed. There was no way that he'd be able to ask the pretty girl for her number.


	2. Success in Giving a Number Results in More Pastries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adrien ultimately gets some good advice from Ladybug, and in which he utterly fails at being smooth.
> 
> And Plagg just wants cheese.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, this chapter was beta'd by the wonderful, amazing [megupic](http://megupic.tumblr.com/)! She is responsible for making this chapter readable.

Patrol started as usual. Chat Noir and Ladybug met on top of the west wing of the Louvre as they always did for joint patrols. In the three years since Hawkmoth had appeared, they had searched the city as well as they could. They had tried to follow the purified butterflies, only to find that the they would lead the superhero duo in circles. That had lead to the theory that Hawkmoth still controlled the butterflies even after they were purified.

Their route was a simple one. They would start in the first arrondissement and end in the 20th, spiraling outward, hoping to spot some sign of Hawkmoth. Chat’s ears flicked, listening for anything out of the ordinary. It wasn’t uncommon for them to stumble across some crime or another happening while on patrol and once they found something, one of them took care of it while the other called the police.

Chat kept pace with Ladybug, lost in his own thoughts. He’d been trying to plot out a way to get the bakery girl’s number without sounding creepy, but so far hadn’t come up with anything. He continued to plot until they arrived at the 7th arrondissement, when Ladybug suddenly waved him off their normal path. Usually, their route didn’t take them anywhere near the Eiffel Tower. So many akuma attacks had happened there or near there, they’d to assumed that Hawkmoth didn’t have his base of operation near there, due to the high probability of being discovered during the fights.

Chat followed her, confused, as she swung to the top of the tower. If they knew Hawkmoth wasn’t there, why was she beckoning him to follow her?  He quickly followed, balancing on his extended baton and landing softly beside her.

Without a word, she plopped down on the tower, letting her feet dangle over the edge. He followed suit.

She glanced over at him. “What’s bothering you, Chaton?” she asked, swinging her yoyo in a back and forth motion in front of her absentmindedly.

He frowned and leaned back on his hands. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, My Lady. Nothing’s bo- _fur_ -ring me.”

She looked at him with dead eyes, clearly not amused. The wind whipped around them, whistling through the tower and emphasizing the silence that fell between them.

“Was that pushing it?”

“Definitely.” She tilted her head back to look at the night sky, even though they couldn’t see the stars because of the bright city lights. “So? What is it?”

He shrugged. “Nothing, really. Just thinking.”

“About? Jeez, Chaton, getting you to talk is like pulling teeth today!”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re one to talk, Mademoiselle I-Don’t-Want-To-Reveal-Our-Identities.”

She huffed, bumping her shoulder against his. He gave her a cheeky grin in return. “That’s for our protection and we both know it.”

“That’s what _you_ say.” He puffed out his cheeks and let the air out, giving in to her prodding. “So... basically my friends are being the worst. They’re trying to get me to ask this girl I like for her number.”

Ladybug tilted her head. “Why is that a bad thing?”

Chat closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. “It wouldn’t be if I actually knew the girl from like, work or through my friends or something.” He opened his eyes, surveying the Parisian skyline. “But I dropped into this shop she works in to avoid…” He paused, not wanting to give too much away. He’d been avoiding his bodyguard after leaving a photoshoot to deal with an akuma. “Someone I know in real life. So I bought something to try not be awkward. I ended up talking to her for a few minutes about nothing. I didn’t even learn her name. But she was cute and sweet and... I don’t know.” He shrugged. Ladybug, if nothing else, was his best friend. He could talk to her. Sometimes they both needed to talk to someone who couldn’t judge based on who they were without the mask. They’d talked together before when Ladybug had dated a kid in her class, and again when she had broken up with him. And now they were talking about his romantic endeavors. “I don’t know,” he repeated.

She hummed, leaning into him. “If you don’t feel comfortable asking her for her number, then don’t. But don’t do something creepy like hang around her work.”

He swiveled so he was facing her, gaping. “I wouldn’t— I couldn’t— I—”

She put a hand over his mouth so he would stop talking. “Silly kitty. I didn’t say you would. I just said you shouldn’t. You can go back, obviously. Maybe try and be friendly.” She lowered her hand. “Do you have to sign a receipt?”

He nodded wordlessly.

“Well, if you really want to get to know her, make sure you get her name, and maybe give your number to her. That way if she wants to contact you, she can, and you don’t feel gross and creepy about it.” Ladybug looked over at him, head tilted, studying his face in the glowing light of the tower.

He crossed his legs and leaning into her flirtatiously. This was the fastest way he knew to get her to think he was okay. “That sounds like _purr_ -fect advice, My Lady.”

It did the trick. Rolling her eyes, she shoved his shoulder. “Come on, Chaton, let’s get this patrol over with. I have school tomorrow.” She stood, cracking her back as she did so. Their job certainly wasn’t easy on their bodies. But the supersuits helped.

Chat stood, a knee cracking. He winced. He’d have to keep his knee from doing that at the next shoot. “Ready when you are.”

The rest of patrol didn’t take long. They stopped a robbery in the 10th arrondissement, and a mugging in the 18th. At the Parc de Belleville, they dropped down into the park proper.

“Okay, Kitty,” she said, “Next time we patrol, fill me in on if you’ve given Mystery Girl your number.” She gave him a smile, and his heart skipped a beat. Part of him would always be hers, but he couldn’t keep getting hurt every time she shut him down. “But for now, I have school in the morning, and I really can’t afford to be late.” She flung her yoyo out and was gone.

Chat watched her for a moment. Maybe Ladybug was right. Maybe giving the Pretty Girl—yes, she deserved the capital letters—his number was the right way to go. He took off, leaping his way up to the rooftops and making his way home.

* * *

Two days later, he was startled awake by Plagg repeatedly poking his cheek, pausing for a moment, and poking him again. Adrien flopped face down on his pillow. “Adrien. Adrien. Aaaaaaadrien,” the tiny cat whined.

“What, Plagg?” he grumbled, voice muffled through the fabric. He was pretty sure he knew what the little god wanted.

“We’re out of Camembert.”

Adrien groaned, rolled onto his side, grabbed another pillow, and held it over his head. “There were two wheels in the fridge last night!”

“Yeah, but I ate them.”

He closed his eyes in annoyance. He hoped Ladybug’s kwami was much more patient and kind than his own. And then the idea hit him. He could drag Plagg to that bakery in retaliation for eating the two wheels of Camembert. His kwami clearly wasn’t a fan of the baked goods, but the cheese danishes _did_ have cheese…or at least he could drop by on the way to the _fromagerie_ if Plagg was super insistent on getting Camembert...

He sat bolt upright, sending the little god flying across the room. Plagg hissed angrily as he collided with the desk chair. “No need to fling me!” he grumbled, settling in on the back of it.

Adrien stood and moved over to his desk. He patted the kwami’s head, ignoring the angry flicking of his tail. “I’m going to get dressed. Then we’ll go get you that cheese, okay?”

Plagg was instantly suspicious. Adrien could tell his kwami knew he was up to something, but instead of protesting or grilling him or calling him out, he only said, “Okay…”

A quick shower and five minutes digging through his closet for something a bit nicer to wear from his father’s casual line, and Adrien and Plagg were out the door, having successfully snuck out of the mansion without the security cameras catching him. At least he wouldn’t have to reveal to the pretty girl that he had a bodyguard.

It was a good ten minute walk from his house to the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. A quick trip over the Seine, past Notre Dame, over the river again, and he was there. He adjusted his jacket, trying not to seem nervous as he walked in. It seemed like the Saturday morning rush was just ending.

“Hi, welcome to Tom and Sabine’s! What can I get for you?”

Adrien looked up from where he was studying some of the pastries behind the glass, and gave the young woman from before a small, shy smile. “H-hi…” he murmured, moving up to the counter. “Can I get… two cheese danishes and one chocolatine, please?”

She hummed in affirmation as she started to bag up his order for him. “You liked the cheese danish then?” she asked.

He nodded. “One of them is for a friend,” he offered a half truth. “I had to ditch him for work the other day, and he wasn’t very pleased with me. It’s a peace offering of sorts.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I really liked the chocolatine though. It was delicious.”

She smiled at him as she bagged one of the cheese danishes. “I’m glad you liked it. What’s your name?”

Adrien started a bit, not having expected to be able to get the chance to get her name so soon. “I’m Adrien. What’s yours?”

“Marinette. It’s nice to meet you, Adrien,” she said, bagging up the other two pastries. She set the tongs aside and started punching in the correct codes for the pastries. She rattled off the price.

Adrien pulled out his card, with much less difficulty this time. He handed it over and Marinette swiped it. The receipt printed and she handed it over with his card. “Here you go, Adrien.”

“Thanks.” Adrien signed it and, taking a deep breath, wrote his number at the top of the receipt. “Thanksforthepastriesgottagobye!” He snatched the bag and ran out the door before she could get another word in edgewise. He ran all the way to the park he’d been to the other day. He sank onto the same bench as before, hands shaking.

Plagg moved from his hiding spot and curled up against Adrien’s neck. He noticed that Plagg hadn’t teased him about how he had rushed out of the bakery. He purred loudly, It was the best he could do.

Adrien took a deep breath, eyes closed as he focused on the small vibrations against his neck, breathing in time with the kwami’s purrs. He never had proof, and Plagg would never admit it, but he believed that his kwami did this to keep him from falling into a panic attack like he had so many times during the first year of being Chat Noir.

Anxiety was never something fun. Especially social anxiety.

Finally his hands stopped shaking and Plagg’s purrs quieted to a buzz against his skin. “Here, I got you a couple of  cheese danishes,” Adrien murmured, reaching into the bag. He pulled out the treats and set them on his knee.

Plagg, after determining that Adrien was actually okay, took off from his shoulder and dove towards the cheesey baked goodness. He did, however, keep a careful eye on his chosen as he stuffed his cheeks with all the food he could get.

**To: Brother From Another Mother** ****  
**From: Litter-ally a Cat**   
(11:23) I think I screwed up.

The reply was instantaneous.

**To: Litter-ally a Cat** ****  
**From: Brother From Another Mother**   
(11:23) I highly doubt that.   
(11:23) Tell me what happened.

**To: Brother From Another Mother** ****  
**From: Litter-ally a Cat**   
(11:25) I went back to the bakery today. And I told her my name. She told me hers. I decided to give her my number instead of asking for hers. I wrote it on the receipt and… I just ran out of there. Like an idiot. I don’t even remember what I said.   
  
**To: Litter-ally a Cat** ****  
**From: Brother From Another Mother**   
(11:26) Okay, bro, what I need to you do is take a deep breath. Breathe for the count of 8. Hold it for 4, and breathe out for a count of 8.   
(11:26) It doesn’t sound to me like you screwed up.   
(11:27) Your exit could have been a bit more smooth.   
(11:27) But you didn’t screw up.

Adrien closed his eyes and did as Nino ordered. He breathed, feeling his nerves calm even further. He sat there like that for a few minutes before sending his reply.

**To: Brother From Another Mother** ****  
**From: Litter-ally a Cat**   
(11:31) Thanks, man. I needed that.   
(11:31) What do I do though?

**To: Litter-ally A Cat  
** **From: Brother From Another Mother**   
(11:31) I don’t think there’s much you can do.   
(11:31) Pretty Girl has your number now.   
(11:32) You just have to hope she texts you.

**To: Squad Goals** ****  
**From: Brother From Another Mother**   
(11:32) So Adrien didn’t exactly get Pretty Girl’s number.

**To: Squad Goals** ****  
**From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)**   
(11:32) ???

**To: Squad Goals** ****  
**From: Litter-ally a Cat**   
(11:33) Thanks, Nino.

**To: Squad Goals  
** **From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)**   
(11:33) What happened then??? Is everyone okay? Do I need to go kick some ass? Adrien, just tell me the location of the bakery and I’ll go and rain hellfire and brimstone down upon her.  
(11:33) Just say the word.

**To: Squad Goals** ****  
**From: Brother From Another Mother**   
(11:33) It was I tell her in here, or you get an Angry Alya breaking down your door demanding to know what happened because I only gave her half the info.

Adrien explained what happened again, this time making sure he didn’t sound so choppy. He was pretty sure that was what had tipped off Nino to his mental status before. He loved his friend for being able to read him like that, but sometimes he really hated that his friend could read him so easily.

**To: Squad Goals** ****  
**From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)**   
(11:35) Oh sunshine, you didn’t screw up. I promise. In fact, giving her your number was a great idea! It takes the pressure off her to make a snap decision about whether or not you’re gross and creepy. Which it sounds like you weren’t!   
(11:36) Do we need to sneak into your house later and have a sleepover?

Adrien huffed a laugh while Plagg started in on the second pastry, leaning against Adrien’s stomach, content.

**To: Squad Goals  
** **From: Litter-ally a Cat**   
(11:36) You sure?

**To: Squad Goals** ****  
**From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)**   
(11:36) I’m sure.

**To: Squad Goals  
** **From: Litter-ally a Cat**   
(11:36) I’ll let you know on the sleepover thing later.   
(11:37) Father’s out of town so it shouldn’t be that difficult.

**To: Squad Goals** ****  
**From: Brother From Another Mother**   
(11:37) My parents should be okay with it no matter what. But I hear mom calling me. I’ve gotta go.

**To: Litter-ally a Cat  
** **From: Brother From Another Mother**   
(11:37) Don’t hesitate to call, okay dude?

**To: Squad Goals** ****  
**From: Ladyblogger (Nino’s gf)**   
(11:37) Same with my mom. Rouchelle should have the siblings tonight.   
(11:37) I hear screaming so I need to run too. Text us every hour, okay sunshine?

Adrien texted back an affirmative to both the group chat and to Nino. Talking with his friends had helped. He slumped down against the bench as Plagg finished the pastry, the silence stretched between them comfortably.

“Hey, kid,” Plagg said finally, “you did fine back there. Maybe not as smooth as you could have been, but you did fine.” In one smooth motion, he jumped off Adrien’s lap and curled up in his hair.

Adrien had been on the verge of thanking Plagg when his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, expecting that it was Nino with a funny meme or Alya with a story about her siblings.

But it wasn't.

**To: Litter-ally a Cat  
** **From: Unknown Number  
** (11:48) You didn't have to run out you know.  
(11:48) It's Marinette, by the way.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, to put this in context.
> 
> About a week ago, I ran into this really cute guy who works at a local grocery store. We spent half an hour talking about Pokémon Sun. Well, like, three days ago, I was at the store with my mother, and I waved at the guy. He waved back. My mother, lovely wonderful woman she is, asked in a super loud voice, “Who was that cute young man back there?” I think I died.
> 
> Actual quote that I wasn't able to work in: “Don't buy a game, get some game!” (This coming from my brother who basically had to be locked in a room with his current SO to get them together.)
> 
> Anyway, long story short, these are basically the texts that resulted from this awkwardness.
> 
> Cast of characters is as follows:  
> Adrien: Me  
> Nino: My brother  
> Alya: A friend of my brother’s and me  
> Gwen: A friend of mine
> 
> By the by, I own Gwen, she is mine.
> 
> Brownie points if you spotted the Harry Potter reference.
> 
> Double brownie points if you spotted the Leverage reference.
> 
> After this chapter, this will no longer follow my own life as Adrien has far more game than I do.


End file.
